Take My Hand
by SpookyClaire
Summary: A young Kurt is on a picnic with his mom and dad when he finds a lost boy who'd been looking for his brother.


**Take My Hand**: A young Kurt is on a picnic with his mom and dad when he finds a lost boy who'd been looking for his brother.

Enjoy!

00

Kurt was searching for more Dandelions to give to his mother when he heard it. The five year old paused, listening close. There – there it was again. Someone was crying.

Dandelions forgotten, he followed the sound. After only a few steps he saw the source of the sound – it was a little boy. He looked even smaller than Kurt, he was currently hiding under an unoccupied picnic table. His knees were drawn up, his arms hugging them tight to his chest. He had his face buried in his knees, his big mop of dark curls the only thing visible.

"Hey," Kurt said softly, kneeling and resting his elbows on the bench. The little boy jumped, looking up at Kurt. "Why are you crying?" Kurt asked, studying the small boy's face. He was pretty, even if his chubby face was drenched in tears.

"I—I can't f-find my b-brother." The little boy hiccupped.

Kurt frowned. He knew what it felt like to be lost. He'd gotten lost in the grocery store once, he went to grab some lucky charms and when he turned around his mom was gone. He'd been so terrified, and his mom had only been one aisle over. Kurt couldn't imagine being lost in this big park.

"Well I can take you to my mommy and daddy and we can help you find your brother."

The little boy sniffled, looking at Kurt with wide eyes. "R-really?"

Kurt nodded enthusiastically, leaning back from the bench. "Yeah! C'mon." The boy hesitated, biting his lip. "I promise they're really nice." That seemed to be all the boy needed to hear and soon he was climbing out from under the table. "Here, take my hand" Kurt held out his hand for the boy to take. "I'm Kurt."

"Blaine." The little boy said, taking Kurt's offered hand and holding tight. Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand, smiling warmly at the boy. As soon as their hands made contact Blaine's demeanor changed. His shoulders relaxed a little, his brow un-furrowed, and the corners of his mouth actually turned up a little. Kurt couldn't help but smile at the sight.

Then he remembered his mission. "C'mon, we were picnicking over here!" He said, and quickly began to run, pulling Blaine along with him. He pulled along, dragging him around picnic tables, trees, and bushes. Once around the brush Kurt could see his parents. Running even faster he felt Blaine stumble a little behind him. Glancing back he made sure Blaine was ok before calling out to his parents.

"Mom! Dad!" His parents turned at his call, surprise hitting their features as they took in the boy with their son. Kurt stopped dead once he reached them, Blaine bumping into his back.

"Did you make a friend, Kurt?" His dad asked, smiling at Blaine despite his look of confusion. Blaine was looking down intently at the grass, squeezing Kurt's hand tighter than before.

"Yeah, this is Blaine but he's lost can we help him find his brother?" Kurt asked in one breath.

A frown came across his moms face. Kurt didn't like to see his mom frown, but he knew it was because Blaine was lost. She frowned when Kurt had gotten lost too. Being lost wasn't fun.

Bending down, his mom knelt in front of Blaine. "Of course we'll help you, sweetie." She smiled warmly. "Your name is Blaine?" Blaine looked up at her in wonder, nodding numbly "Where did you last see your brother?"

He stared at her for another moment before he quickly collected himself, quietly answering "B-by the seesaws."

"Ok, sweetie, let's go to the seesaws then." Standing, Kurt's mom turned to Kurt. "You have his hand, honey?" Kurt nodded, standing taller. Suddenly he had an important job, keeping hold of Blaine's hand. Maybe to make sure Blaine didn't get lost again, maybe to make sure Blaine felt safe, Kurt wasn't sure. Either way he felt a sense of importance for his job, so he held Blaine's hand tight.

And so the four walked, Kurt allowing his parents to lead him and Blaine towards the center of the park. As they walked Kurt kept his tight hold on Blaine's hand. Squeezing every so often and then smiling at Blaine.

While they walked Kurt's parents asked Blaine questions like 'How old are you?' and 'What's your brother's name?' and 'What are you guys doing at the park today?' Blaine politely answered each question. _I'm five. My brother's name is Cooper. Our mommy and daddy were working so Coop took me here to swing but then he disappeared and I couldn't find him_.

Kurt squeezed his hand every time he answered, especially as Blaine's words got faster, a little more frantic, on that last answer. "We'll find Cooper." Kurt said confidently, his own smile widening as a smile graced Blaine's features again.

As soon as the words left Kurt's mouth they heard it. "Blaine!"

Blaine stopped walking at once, Kurt getting tugged back before he could stop walking himself. "Blaine?" Kurt asked, but then they heard it again.

"Blaine!"

"Cooper." Blaine said quietly, frantically looking around.

"Is that Cooper calling?" Kurt's dad asked, looking around as well, trying to place where the voice was coming from.

"Cooper!" Blaine yelled at the top of his lungs, surprising the family of three.

There was a pause, and then, "Blaine?"

"Cooper!" Kurt called, without thinking. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Blaine turn and smile at him, before calling out again as well.

It only took a moment longer before suddenly a boy, no older than 16, came running around a gathering of trees. "Blaine!" He cried, running at full force towards the group of four. Blaine didn't say anything in response, because suddenly he was running full force at Cooper as well. As Blaine's hand left Kurt's, Kurt felt an odd emptiness filling him. Obviously he was happy Blaine had found his brother and wasn't sad anymore…but now Kurt felt sad. And he wasn't sure why he felt sad.

Looking up, Kurt watched as right before they hit each other Cooper crashed to his knees, Blaine slamming hard into his chest. They hugged each other tight, the force of their collision causing them to fall on their sides, still holding each other tight. Kurt could hear them talking.

"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry, Blaine. I looked away for one second-"

"I was so scared, Coop. I missed you-"

The two babbled for a while, clinging to each other, before finally they calmed enough to push themselves off the ground. Taking deep breaths Cooper stood and took Blaine's hand. Kurt watched their entwined fingers, watched as Cooper squeezed Blaine's hand. Kurt looked down at his own empty hand.

"Thank you so much for helping him." Cooper said, eyes glassy, face flushed, as he spoke to Kurt's parents.

"Don't thank us, Kurt here's the one who found him." Kurt's father said, wrapping an arm around Kurt's shoulder.

Cooper smiled down at Kurt, "Thank you, Kurt." He said sincerely. "I'm glad Blaine found a friend." Kurt glanced from Cooper to Blaine, a smile forming on his lips as he noticed Blaine smiling at him.

Cooper talked to Kurt's parents for a moment, Kurt and Blaine said nothing. They just smiled at each other. Kurt's right hand ached, Blaine's free hand twitched. But neither said anything. Blaine had Cooper's hand now, but whose did Kurt have?

Soon the family of three waved goodbye to the two brothers. Kurt just smiled and waved, ignored the aching in his hand. He had no idea it'd be another 12 years before he saw Blaine again, before the aching went away. No idea that he'd find him on a stairwell, no idea that Kurt would be the one who was lost then.

But Blaine would find him.

Blaine would take his hand again.

The aching would go away.

It would just take some time.


End file.
